new to 5th wheeling

[gls33073]

Hi all..My wife and I are new to the 5th wheel idea and are changing our minds about a class A. We have a few questions.....

Can you boondock in a 5th wheel as easy as you can in a A??

Has anyone switched from an A class to a Montana and why....

We are in love with Montana 5th wheels and just saw the front living room model at West Palm RV....WOW is it perfect for us.


Thanks for your time......Greg and Michelle

[capn chris]

Think it's a matter of personal preference re. MH vs. 5th wheel. Love our Montana, as do most on the forum. Yes, you can boondock. Others will be along to explain how they use their rigs. Good luck on your exploration! You've come to a great place to ask your questions!!!

[rving2us]

Hi Greg and Michelle, Mary and I traded a 38' Monico in on our 36' Montana (3000RK) and have never looked back. We feel we have more living space in the 5er. I prefer the drive with our current rig in relation to the MH, I prefer to tow than drive a bus. The moving around during travel was something we did not take advantage of but it was there. We both felt our truck was more comfortable than the bus but really it comes down to personal preference so good luck with your choice.

[alandaudrey]

Greg and Michelle,
Boondocking in a fifth-wheel is no different than boondocking in any other RV.

If you plan on doing mostly boondocking, I might suggest getting the Onan generator installed on your trailer with the remote control. That way you can turn the generator on or off from inside the trailer. If you are going to boondock occasionally like we do, a good ultra quiet generator will work just fine.

Depending on where you boondock, there could be restrictions on generator run time. State, National Forest, National monuments and National Parks usually post generator run times which limits the time that you can charge your batteries to just a few hours per day. For that reason I carry an extra battery just for powering extra stuff like a TV and the satellite box or the DVD player if we want to watch a movie. Then I recharge both batteries the next time I can run the generator.

With the large gray and black water tanks you can go a week or more without having to dump. You will run out of fresh water before you have to dump the waste water. I carry extra hose and try to find a campsite close to a water source. If that is not possible I also carry a bucket that is only used for fresh water and carry water to fill the tank.

Happy Trails,

[Mudchief]

We have had both and each has it's place. However we find that we have more room in the 5th wheel and also prefer to tow rather than drive. We have a 8KW generator on our unit therefore we can boondock just as good as we could with the Class A.

[HamRad]

Greg and Michelle,
If you'd like to see a bunch of Montana folks out boondocking check out this picture from Quartzsite, AZ. We are supposed to have about 55 rigs. As you can see we are still a few short but they should arrive today or tomorrow.

2010 MOC Quartziste boondocking

Dennis and Mary Kay

[exav8tr]

Greg, First, Welcome to "The Best Darned Forum on the WWW!"

Second, I like to tell folks that they need to define their type of RVing. There are some folks who just stay a couple days wherever they go, some stay a week or longer and some do a little of both. We are in the middle group that stay, usually, a week or longer at a time and many times longer. We find the 5th wheel is ideal for this type of travelling. I actually feel like I am living in a small apartment rather than a vehicle. If I was making two and three day stops, I think the MH would be a better choice. Reason being, there is a little more to setting up a 5th wheel than a MH. I'm talking manual chores outside the rig when you pull in, many MHs have automatic systems to help you level and such, whereas MOST Montanas are all manual. As a 1000 Trails member, we can stay three weeks at a time at each preserve so we take advantage of that whenever we can.

Of course, some people like towing a trailer and some like driving a bus, to each his own. With the 5er, you do not get the option of towing a small economical car, but have to use your truck as your daily driver. Miles add up quickly that way and the big trucks are a little harder to park and maneuver in some cities, especially New York and Boston..

We have been fulltiming since May of '07 and see no end in sight yet. We have been from Alaska to Florida and Maine to San Diego and many points in between. We love our '06 3400, of the new ones we have seen we would get another 3400 in the Hickory color.

Please remember, these are just my opinions and you know what they say about those. Good luck with whatever you choose, AND BTW this forum is just another good reason to own a Montana!

[Champ_49]

Have had a Class A 36' and now the 3400RL. As others have said, its a matter of preference and style of camping you do. BTW my daughter now says, Dad, in that 5th wheel you are no loner camping!!! Shes kinda right lol.

I believe that the 5th wheel is a ton easier to drive in the wind and such. A lot more room in the 5th. My preference is the 5th.

Whatever you decide, have fun and be happy. Welcome the best forum!!

Dave & Linda

[rames14]

Phil had a good point also. When we were first looking at RVing with a 5er, we also considered a Class A. The dealer we were talking to asked how we'd use it. I asked what he meant. He said if you spend a night here and there and like to tailgate, a Class A is the way to go. If you go and stay three or four nights at a place, then go with the fifth wheel. This advice has served us well, as we are on our second Montana. Good luck finding the decision that works best for "YOU". Remember, you're the one writing the check and that has to live with the decision. The other thing that weighed for me is that you have two drivetrains to maintain if you travel with a Class A. Enjoy the forum.

[TLightning]

For lots of moves, the MH is easier...lots faster to set up/take down, nicer in which to travel. For staying many days or weeks in one spot, the 5th wheel is nicer...lots more room.